Welcome Back Festival Returns with Record Donations to Scholarships
After cancelations due to COVID-19 in 2020 and a torrential rainstorm in 2021, the Welcome Back Festival returned to College Avenue in downtown Clemson on August 22nd kicking of the Fall semester and raising a record $23,000 toward student scholarships.
For 32 years in August, the Clemson Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Council (SAC) have sponsored the Welcome Back Festival, the premier kick-off event of the academic year at Clemson University. Each year, the festival features local vendors offering a variety of merchandise and food in exchange for purchased festival tickets. The money raised during the festival supports the Student Alumni Council Scholarship Endowment Fund supporting student scholarships.
Jim Clements, president of Clemson University, and Mayor of Clemson, Robert Halfacre opened the festival which is held in partnership with the City of Clemson and the Clemson City Police Department. Following the welcome the Clemson University Pep Band, Cheerleaders and Rally Cats performed for the festival crowd. Closing out the evening was local band, Risky Business, featuring current Clemson students Austin Allen, Sam Buchanan, Robert Farmer, Thomas Love, Egan Purnell and Whit Long.
SAC President, Lane Josey was thrilled about the record funds raised stating, “the impact that we can have on current and future Clemson students with the proceeds from the Welcome Back Festival will be life changing. Thank you to all the students, alumni and community members who helped make this possible.”
Alumni Association Executive Director, Wil Brasington, echoed Josey’s sentiments and commended the SAC, the City of Clemson and the Clemson City Police Department on their role in the festival. “We could not ask for better partners,” said Brasington. “The Welcome Back Festival would not have been this successful after a three-year hiatus without the planning and implementation by SAC as well as the support of the City of Clemson and its police department.
If you are interested in supporting the Student Alumni Council Scholarship Endowment Fund, visit https://iamatiger.clemson.edu/giving and use the “Search for a Fund” feature typing “Student Alumni Council (S.A.C.) Scholarship Endowment” as the search criteria. A gift of any amount can help make a difference in the lives of Clemson students.
For details about future Welcome Back Festivals and other Clemson Alumni Association events, visit alumni.clemson.edu.